


30 Seconds

by Konzelwoman



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-03-31 13:37:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3979993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Konzelwoman/pseuds/Konzelwoman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“If you only had 30 seconds, your house was on fire, what would you take?”</p><p>After a rather disappointing dinner date, and her boyfriend Gale having to rush off to District 12 to take care of his ailing mother, Katniss Everdeen is tired of waiting for a proposal, so when her Uncle Haymitch suggests she head to 12 herself to surprise him with a toasting, she decides to throw caution to the wind and give it a shot.</p><p>But the odds are not in her favor. Washed out train track, hurricanes, and a terrifying boat ride get her stuck at a pub in the middle of nowhere, with a bartender named Peeta who seems determined to get her to 12.</p><p>After a series of fateful interventions, they find themselves thrown together on the trip of a lifetime. In the end, Katniss must make a choice. Her thirty seconds are up, and she knows exactly what she wants to take.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> • Based off of the movie Leap Year  
> • Rated T - Minor language, brief mention of minor character death  
> • Fluff, comedy, and some good old fashioned romance  
> • Panem/AU  
> • Written for the Movies in the Month of May challenge at everlarkianarchives  
> • Part 1 of 2  
> • Banner by me  
> • Betad by the ever wonderful titania522 & katnissdoesnotfollowback  
> • Proof read by mrsbonniemellark  
> • Credit to all involved in The Hunger Games and Leap Year

The fire alarm sounded as chaos surrounded her.

Her guests all tried to exit at the same time, grabbing their bags, some even grabbing plates of hors d'oeuvres as they rushed to the door.

Katniss stood still, staring out the window, watching the skyline flicker as she counted the seconds away.

Gale seemed only annoyed at the disruption, moaning and grumbling, grabbing his laptop, camera, telling Katniss to make sure she had already uploaded the video of the proposal so he could post it to his blog.

When he came out of the study, arms laden with things, he stopped mid sentence, staring at the engagement ring sitting on the table. “Katniss?”

There was no answer.

She was gone.

Her thirty seconds were up, and she knew what she had to do.

Xxx

_Three weeks earlier_

Katniss was an apartment stager in District 2. It soothed her. Being able to arrange all the pieces of furniture, making a place seem like a home if only for a moment, kept her ghosts at bay.

Right now she was getting fitted for a dress for her big date tonight with her boyfriend, Gale Hawthorne.

She winced when her friend Madge came barging in, screaming.

“Madge, what in the hell?”

“Guess who I just saw coming out of Bernino’s?”

“No.” Katniss’ eyes were huge, her jaw hanging loose.

“Yes!” Her friend squealed, jumping up and down. “You’re going to get engaged tonight!”

Xxx

The restaurant was very modern, a beautiful, open, and airy place, with strings of lights hanging from the ceiling that almost looked like the branches of a willow. It was a nice contrast to the almost suffocating amount of grey everywhere else. Katniss looked around, making a mental note to talk to the owner, maybe help him renovate the place.

The dinner was companionably quiet, Gale and Katniss smiling at one another as they chewed.

Katniss held up a hand to cover her mouth after a bite of breadstick, “Oh! Did you hear back from the apartment complex yet?”

They had applied for residency at one of the oldest, and most well known complexes in the district, going through a rigorous interview process, appearing in front of a board to discuss themselves. They both shared a love for this building, and moving into a larger apartment seemed like the next logical step.

Gale smiled. “Not yet, but I’m pretty sure they loved us.”

After several more moments of silence, Katniss startled when Gale spoke suddenly.

“Oh! I almost forgot!”

She felt a scowl coming on. _Forgot_?

“I got this for you.”

He slid a small jewelry box over to her across the table, waggling his eyebrows as he looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to open it.

She had practiced her surprised face with Madge, and had expected it to be horrible, but his nonchalance helped to make her a little more convincing. They had been dating for four years, after all. This was a big deal, the obvious next step. Right?

Smiling and slowly opening the box, she struggled to maintain her smile. “A bracelet,” she said haltingly. Although her stomach dropped about ten feet at the sight of the bangle and lack of a ring, she couldn’t tell if it was from disappointment or relief.

“Yeah! It just reminded me of you. Saw your favorite color in the window and had to grab it!”

She forced a laugh, seeing how excited he was. “My favorite color? These are diamonds and rubies.”

“I know! They had one with emeralds, but I saw the rubies and knew I had to splurge to get you your favorite.”

“Oh,” Katniss said, laughing to cover her disbelieving choke. “Right, right.”

Gale looked down at his ringing phone. “Hang on. I’ve gotta take this.”

Katniss nodded with a tight-lipped smile, taking a sip of water when he left.

So not only was he not proposing with her favorite color, he was taking phone calls during their date. Okay. They had finally found a day they were both free, booked it weeks in advance, and were paying through the nose for it, but that’s no big deal. He had a phone call. How rare were those? This was a big deal. Katniss snorted at her inner monologue.

About three leisurely breadsticks and a water refill later he came back, pale faced.

“Gale, what’s wrong?” She reached out and touched his arm, her stomach bubbling with a sense of impending bad news.

“My mom…. my mom is sick. I have to go to District 12.”

Xxx

The next night Katniss sat at the bar of a run-down place called, ‘The Mine Shaft’, a pub on the outskirts of town.

It was one of those places you wouldn’t want to be caught dead in, but people seemed to risk it on a fairly regular basis.

She was supposed to meet her uncle Haymitch for drinks, but he was late as usual.

Pulling her hands away from the sticky countertop, she scowled at the residue it left behind causing her fingers to stick together.

“Sweetheart!” There he was.

He walked over to her, giving her a hug and his apologies. “Well, let me look at you!” Holding her at arm’s length, he looked her up and down. “Nice dress!” The grumpy waitress came to take his order, Katniss asking for the same - Whiskey on the rocks.

“So, let me see the ring!” he said, happy as could be, his shoulders falling along with his face when Katniss wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Oh no. No. It wasn’t a ring, was it? Dammit, Madge!”

She had explained the whole run-in with Madge over the phone the night before.

Katniss held up her ruby clad wrist, Haymitch grimacing as it twinkled under the low lights of the bar. “Red?”

“Don’t even start,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes at his chuckle. “And to top it off, he had to go to 12. Hazelle is sick.” She went back to staring at the melting ice cubes, worrying about Hazelle, wishing she could do more to help.

Haymitch tisked, tossing his arm in the classic, 'gosh darn’ way from old movies.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up like firecrackers.

“Uh-oh. I know that look.” Katniss narrowed her eyes at Haymitch, her eyebrows knit together.

He turned to her with what she could only call a sneer.

“What?” she asked worriedly.

“You know, back in 12, they have a tradition. It’s called a toasting. Basically an old wedding ceremony.”

“Haymitch, I know what it is. I grew up thinking about that day.” She stared down into whiskey glass as the ice cubes melted. Ugly thoughts of funerals and caskets and moving filled her head, threatening a panic attack. She took a deep breath, letting it out with words more for herself than Haymitch. “But it’s ridiculous.”

“Oh, come on. It’s tradition! Surprise him! Take the train, meet him there, propose a toasting!” He guffawed at his own joke.

“I’ll think about it,” she said, rising to her feet.

“No you won’t,” Haymitch called to her back.

“No I won’t,” she responded, grinning as she heard his chuckle at her back.

Xxx

“This is crazy. I’m crazy. Right?” Katniss asked the woman on the train next to her, ignoring the disbelieving and confused look the woman wore. “It’s just a toasting. A tradition. It’ll be good. Get back to our roots. Good. Roots. Oh god. I forgot to have my hair done. Oh well.”

She looked out the window as the scenery rushed by, seeming to pass an eternity before turning back to the woman. “I’m not crazy. Right?”

Xxx

Delayed.

Delayed, delayed, delayed, everything was delayed.

Getting out of 2, she had made it all the way to 4, only to stop short because a dam had broken from the hurricane just finishing its business, wiping out the train tracks ahead.

After successfully failing to obtain any transportation, a soaked Katniss convinced a woman with black spiked hair to give her a boat ride across the bay.

She remembered little from the ride except that the woman, Johanna, scared her. If not for her stubborn determination to make it to 12 - to Gale - she might have thought twice before boarding the boat.

She found herself, standing on a beach, surrounded by her luggage as the sun peaked out from the storm clouds, creating a rainbow that ended seemingly right on a nearby pub.

Slipping her shoes off to make the trek through the sand easier, and walking barefoot into the place, Katniss halted just inside the door. A quick glance around showed that the place was actually not that bad. In fact, it reminded her of a place from her childhood.

Shiny memories of tiny, hole in the wall places, filled with laughter and dancing, the room seeming to glow from the firelight, as her father played on his fiddle.

Pulled from her wandering thoughts by an awkward cough, Katniss finally noticed that what was once quite a ruckus in the place had turned to deathly silence.

All eyes were on her.

She took a few timid steps to the bar. “Um,” she spoke quietly, clearing her throat that apparently was now made of sandpaper. “Sorry to interrupt, but is there a car service or anything that can help me get to the nearest train station?”

She looked around, smiling thinly at everyone in turn. Several old gentlemen, almost looking like they grew out of the barstools they occupied, some smiled at her, others stared at her like she was some oddity. Then there was the bartender, just a little taller than her, leaning on the bar with one forearm, the other elbow planted firmly, supporting his chin as he chewed on a pen.

His eyes were a shade of blue not unlike one she had just seen outside during a cloud break, and they sparkled as he looked her up and down unabashedly. His gaze lingered on her bare feet, making him scoff softly, a dimple appearing with his lopsided grin. He shook his head incredulously, his blonde curls swaying softly with the movement.

With a roll of his eyes before he narrowed them, eyeing her skeptically, he handed her a business card that he had pinned on the wall.

“You’ll have to go to the station a few stops up. The dam washed out most the track.” Katniss looked at the old man who spoke to her from his bar stool, smiling politely.

“Thank you,” she nodded to him and then the bartender, who nodded back before turning to the kitchen.

She couldn’t help but linger on his broad shoulders, and his massive head of curly, blonde hair.

Walking over to the pay phone he had indicated before leaving, Katniss dialed the number.

“Hello?” The voice said on the other end, with just a hint of a Capitol accent, reminding her of her aunt Effie and setting her more at ease.

“Hello, yes, I’m at this shady little bar on the beach, 'Archer in the Rye’, and I need a ride to the nearest train station that is accepting trains.”

“A dive bar, you say?”

“Yeah, but it’s not that bad.”

“Well, I’m sorry. I’d love to help you, but I don’t drive Barefoot Capitolite Brunettes.”

“How did you-” she stopped, glancing up when she heard sniggering.

The bartender leaned against the kitchen door frame, one arm crossed over his chest, his pen behind his ear, waving a portable phone before putting it back up to his ear, grinning madly.

Katniss hung up, slamming the phone down, and making the bartender jump at the sound, glaring at her after he fumbled the phone. “Where are you so eager to get to, anyway?”

His voice carried a heavy weight of sarcastic wit that almost made Katniss smile.

“District 12.”

“District 12, huh? Let me tell you something about District 12. District 12 is a city of chances and cheats and back-stabbing snakes. It’s where the worst of humanity collects to poison this fair country. I wouldn’t advise you to go there.”

Katniss drew her lips into a tight line. “Well. Thank you for that, ah, warning.”

He raised his hand, waving her off as if he had done her a favor, grabbing the pen from behind his ear and sticking it in his mouth, beginning to chew on it again.

Katniss narrowed her eyes at him in disgust before shaking her head free of annoying thoughts. “Well. Is there a place I can stay at least for the night?”

He was about to hand her another card, his eyes glinting mischievously when one of the old men sitting round the bar piped up, “Oh, come on, Peeta, give her a break. Look at her. She’s practically like family, being from District 12 and all.”

“Max! I just wanted to have some fun!”

“How do you know I’m from 12?” Katniss asked.

“The same way I knew he was,” the man pointed at the bartender, who smirked as he leaned on the bar. “Your hair, skin, and eyes. You may be livin’ ritzy now, based on that twinge of Capitol in your voice, but you got seam blood in you, no doubt. Same as he got merchant.”

The man behind the bar held out his hand. “Peeta Mellark.”

She shook his hand cautiously. “Katniss Everdeen.”

The shake lingered a bit too long, Katniss unable to shrug the feeling that they had met before, done this song and dance before, shaking hands but under far worse circumstances.

Sliding a key across the bar, Peeta pointed up. “Second floor and on the right.”

“Thank you.”

She began to make her way up the stairs, stopping and returning to the stoop when he called to her.

“Katniss?”

“Yeah?” This felt natural. This felt normal. He didn’t feel like the stranger he should be.

“Why are you going back to 12?” His voice was curious, causing her to look him in the eyes for a second too long.

She looked down at the floor, her hand gripping the banister tightly, finding herself blushing. “I, uh…. I’m going to propose to my boyfriend. Ask if he will toast with me, since we’re both from there.”

“A toasting, huh?” Katniss looked up, expecting to see mockery in his eyes, but instead she saw sincerity, intrigue, and kindness. “Meet me outside at nine tomorrow morning. I’ll see what I can do.”

Xxx

Katniss was ready bright and early the next morning, waiting with all her luggage outside the pub right at nine o'clock.

Peeta strolled out shortly after her, running his fingers through his curls, still wet from showering, yet still a mess of bed head.

How he achieved that was beyond her.

“So, Katniss. Tell me. How badly are you wanting to get to 12?”

She scowled at him. “Are you serious?”

He squinted at the sun, scrunching his nose up in a way that reminded Katniss of a bunny. “Deadly.” He looked at her, smiling so nonchalantly it almost unnerved her. “I’m taking time away from my pub, days away from my precious kitchen, to ensure you get the sacred toasting.” He waved his hands and sing-songed the last bit, trying to appear above it all, but she could see he saw it for what it really was, and he wanted to do it one day just as much as she did. “I better be getting something out of it.”

“Well. Since you asked so nicely,” her voice was dripping with sarcasm, and he wore a grin to match, “Fine. I will pay you five hundred dollars.”

He nodded, the grin still firmly on his face. “Let me load your luggage. But, firstly, I have one rule.” He looked up from the suitcase he was bent over, holding up one finger in stern warning, making Katniss go slightly cross eyed at it’s proximity. “Don’t touch the radio.”

Xxx

Katniss was surprised when the beat up old car Peeta had her get in actually started.

He turned the radio to some ridiculous local station playing beach music, and he began bobbing his head to the beat.

“Oh! Here. I made us breakfast.” He reached into the backseat with ease, Katniss admiring the flex of his arm muscles so close to her face as he did. She caught his eye and his smug little smirk, making her turn toward the window with a blush.

But she quickly turned back to him at the smell of cinnamon. He handed the bag to her, watching in his peripheral as she delicately lifted two cinnamon rolls out of the bag, her eyes wide as saucers.

“You act like you’ve never seen one before,” he smiled disbelievingly.

“Gale is allergic to cinnamon,” she said quietly. “I can’t even eat them, even if I gargle with boiling water afterwards.”

Peeta snorted. “What happens when he touches it?”

“He looks like a chipmunk,” she said in that same quiet voice, still staring at the confections.

When Peeta started laughing she turned to him, scowl in full force. “What?”

“I’m just picturing it,” he said, puffing out his cheeks before laughing again.

“Just for that I am eating your cinnamon roll, too.” She tried to appear tough, leaving no room for argument, because dammit, she missed cinnamon, but as she stared at the roll, she couldn’t help but smile.

“How do you know they weren’t both for you?”

Damn he was smooth.

“Either way, I’m eating both.” She reached out and changed the radio station, Peeta turning to her with a gasp, his slack jaw on display.

“Not five minutes in and you have already broken my cardinal rule!” He slammed a hand on the steering wheel, his jaw set stubbornly.

“Well, it was a stupid rule.” She raised her eyebrow at him, tilting her head slightly, daring him to make the next move.

Peeta scoffed, reaching over toward the pastries. “Give me one of those. You just lost it.”

“No. If I am paying five hundred dollars, then I get two cinnamon rolls.”

“Not if you’re a rule breaker. Now give me,” he swiped blindly, staring at the road ahead, knocking one of the rolls out of her hand and out her open window.

He gasped yet again, as Katniss smirked.

After a moment of silence, Katniss pointed behind them. “That one was yours.”

He side eyed her, and she was almost convinced that he was actually going to stop the car and kick her out or something, but his dimple kept showing ever so slightly with the twitch of his mouth, a smile begging to come through. Finally he scoffed, smiling a disbelieving smile and setting his jaw, turning to look out his own window for a moment before turning back to the road.

“Five hundred and five. You are paying me five hundred and five.”

“Nope.” She took a bite of cinnamon roll, speaking around it. “You threw it, you blew it. Five hundred even,” she smirked in satisfaction as she chewed, slapping his hand when he reached to turn the radio dial.

Xxx

Somewhere along the way, he had coerced her into telling him her favorite color - green - her favorite food - anything with cheese - and her favorite pastime - going to the archery range.

She learned that he loved to bake, his favorite color was orange - like a sunset - and he always double knotted his shoelaces.

It surprised her how easily they fell into mindless banter, the conversation nearly never having a lull. She knew more about Peeta in an hour and a half than she had learned during the first month and a half of her relationship with Gale. She didn’t know quite how to feel about that.

After a bit longer, they had to stop because of what looked to be every cow in Panem blocking the roadway.

Peeta just pulled out an apple and a book, leaning against the hood of the car, insisting they should wait it out.

But Katniss couldn’t wait. She didn’t have the patience. Stepping in front of the car, she tried to shoo the cows away, only to have them stand still, staring at her as they chewed lazily, a few even mooed at her in what she swore was protest.

It reminded her of working at that bar in college, and trying to shoo people away at happy hour or closing. In fact, the mooing was oddly similar to the groaning of drunk freshman.

Peeta spoke around a bite of apple. “Comes as a real shock to find out that you speak fluent cow.”

Xxx

Soon after stepping in a cowpie and trying to sit beside Peeta and wait it out, only to have him shoo her away because of the smell, the cows decided to vacate.

Peeta laughed as he opened his door.

“What?” Katniss narrowed her eyebrows at him over the roof of the car.

“They _mooooooooooved_.”

She rolled her eyes and suppressed a smile as she climbed into the car.

After a day of bad music, bickering, and laughter, they neared the train station in 11.

They got to the train station about forty five minutes before the train was to leave, and she purchased a ticket, sitting on a nearby bench to wait.

Peeta said he would wait until the train came and sat beside her, leaving just enough space between them that it was slightly uncomfortable.

He jiggled his knee in impatience, eyeing the wooded area across from where they sat, a grin slowly forming on his face.

“You see that meadow over there?” He pointed, looking at her to make sure she saw.

“Yeah.” It was all she could say, feeling his eyes on her, knowing that shouldn’t make her feel the way it did. Those butterflies were not cleared for the airspace in her stomach. She was engaged. Or about to be. Hopefully.

“Race you.”

She looked at him, eyebrows raised. “Peeta, this is childish.”

“And yet I’m gonna win,” he said with an impish grin.

“No you won’t.” She scoffed.

“Bet you ten dollars.”

When was the last time she was spontaneous? “Add a cinnamon roll and you’re on,” she said, sitting upright on the bench. “Go!”

“Hey! Not fair!” he called after her, still on the bench as she was halfway to the meadow.

She was sitting and braiding dandelions together when he finally came up to her, huffing, out of breath. “Wow. You sure you’re okay, old man?” she asked, looking up at him in mock concern.

“Shut up,” he said, pointing to the woods. “Show me how to track something. You said you used to hunt with your dad, right? We still have about twenty minutes. Go find me a bunny.”

“You are being ridiculous.”

Xxx

They went into the woods, Katniss tracking a rabbit as she went, Peeta stomping like an elephant everywhere he went.

“So, Peeta, what is your favorite thing to make?”

“I recently learned how to make a hang sandwich.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “What is a 'hang’?”

He looked puzzled, scrunching his face up in thought. “You know what? I’m not really sure why it’s called that.”

“Hang is a verb, it’s not a sandwich,” Katniss mumbled, looking forward once again, smiling at the sound of Peeta’s chuckling behind her.

The silence between them was companionable, comfortable, natural. She flashed back to the almost _too_ quiet dinner she and Gale had shared not three nights ago. _Gale. District 12. Toasting._

“Peeta, why are you helping me get to what you consider the worst place on earth?”

He was silent, his breath coming out in a hiss before answering. “Just call me a sucker for a toasting.”

After a few beats of silence, Peeta adopted a serious tone. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Katniss stopped and turned to him, nodding for him to continue.

“Say your house is on fire, and you only have thirty seconds to grab anything, what would you grab?”

Katniss hesitated, trying to absorb the suddenly heavy turn the conversation had taken. “What?”

“Already wasted ten.”

She huffed. “I’m not playing games with you.”

“Ten more gone. Quick. What’ll you grab?” He wore a tight lipped smile, his eyes examining hers.

She decided to turn it on him, make him feel uncomfortable for once. “What about you? What would you grab?”

He smirked, setting his jaw, something glinting in his eyes.

She egged him on. “Oh, come on, your precious pub is on fire, the bottles of alcohol exploding. You only have twenty seconds left. What would you grab?”

He crossed his arms. “I know exactly what I’d grab.” He looked down at her, daring her to push further.

“Oh yeah? And what is that?” Her voice was strong, but she felt it die out near the end.

He chuckled darkly, turning back in the direction they were going. “I’m not telling you.”

She scoffed, stalking after him. “You can dish it, but you can’t take it, can you?”

They were lost in conversation when they heard a train whistle, both of them snapping their heads toward the sound.

“No. No, no, no, no, no!” Katniss cried, running toward the station. “No!” She shouted, stepping onto the platform as the train rushed past. Resting her hands on her knees she bent over, trying to catch her breath, examining the wood of the platform as she tried to calm her pounding heart.

The ticket booth man, a kind looking older gentleman stood on the platform with her luggage. “I tried to hold it for you, but you know how things are these days. Time is money and you were late so they didn’t stop.” He smiled sadly.

“It’s okay,” Katniss said, already rolling through new ideas in her head.

“That was the last one of the day.” The man said ruefully, offering a sad smile.

“Oh,” Katniss said, laughing, almost madly.

“My wife and I run a bed and breakfast. We would love for the two of you to come and stay until you can get a train ride!”

“Oh, it wouldn’t be bo-”

“We would love to,” Peeta said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

As the man loaded her luggage, Peeta spoke softly to Katniss. “I’m not leaving you alone out in the middle of nowhere.”

“So you’re protecting me?” Katniss bit out the words, annoyance toward the world in general and its disasters starting to boil over.

“Yes.”

“Or are you protecting your investment?” She looked him right in the eye, squaring her shoulders, hoping she looked intimidating despite her size.

He smirked, making her blood boil further. “Either way works for me.”

Xxx


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Okay. So this turned into a 3 parter. Here is part 2. A lot of this section has lines right from the movie - Leap Year - and I do not claim to own them or The Hunger Games. All credit to the respective owners and all involved with those franchises. The next section will be less movie heavy because this is the section of the movie that made me choose it for the challenge._

_As always, thank you to my lovely betas titania522 and katnissdoesnotfollowback, and all of my pre/proofreaders, mrsbonniemellark, papofglencoe, and ombradellaluna._

_Now, without further ado, part 2!_

Xxx

They followed the man in his own car to a little house by a lake. It was actually quite beautiful, with a garden off to the side, rose bushes blooming along the walkway, and birds singing from hidden places.

As the man held the door open for them, Katniss stopped him, asking his name.

“Cinna,” he said, smiling kindly.

Continuing into the house, Cinna announced, “Portia! Looks like we have some guests tonight!”

A dark-skinned woman appeared, with beautiful green eyes, smiling as wide as a person could smile. “Oh, lovely! You’re lucky, I just had two backpackers at the door wanting the room, but they weren’t married. Admitted it right out, no shame. So I sent them packing.”

Cinna hung his head, shaking it gently, as Katniss felt Peeta move towards her, slowly, casually.

Portia continued. “But right is right, come rain or shine.” Cinna nodded with a hum of agreement. “So it’s Mr. And Mrs….” She trailed off, looking to the two newcomers expectantly.

“Everdeen,” Katniss said instinctively, overlapping Peeta’s, “Mellark.”

They looked at each other, annoyed, but plastering on smiles and chuckling nervously.

“Everlark,” Katniss said, trying to maintain her smile.

Peeta slid his arm around her waist, placing his hand on her hip, causing her cheeks to flame, whether from annoyance or something else entirely, she wasn’t sure.

“We just got married, so she’s getting used to the new last name,” he said, smiling down at Katniss, pinching her hip.

Gritting her teeth through her smile, she looked up at him, batting her eyelashes. To anyone else it might look bashful, but to Peeta, it would look like hell’s fury on rapid fire with every blink. “Oh, it’s not that hard, _dear_ ,” she seethed, irritated at once again being the butt of his jokes, patting his shoulder playfully, but hard enough to make him wince. Placing her other hand tightly over his on her hip to stop the pinching, she was mollified when she saw how it helped sell their charade. Portia sighed slightly, so Katniss lightly traced his knuckles with her thumb. Something in his eyes changed, but she couldn’t quite tell what.

She turned back to the woman, who still wore that admiring smile. “Katniss and Peeta, to you.”

“Lovely!” Portia clasped her hands together in front of her with a loud clap. “Let’s get you to your room.”

“Thank you,” Katniss said, dropping her hand to her suitcase, but feeling Peeta’s hand still on her waist. Looking up, she saw a grin that indicated he was enjoying this too much.

“After you, petal,” he said softly, but his eyes were alight with mischief.

“Thank you, sunshine,” Katniss shot back, seeing sparks go off in his eyes.

As he followed behind her, he called out, “Would you like a hand with the bag, pumpkin?”

Katniss grit her teeth, staring straight ahead as they followed their hostess down the hall. “I’m good, cupcake.”

Xxx

They both stood at the foot of the bed in the room, hands on their hips, staring at the vacant sheets.

“Well you’re not sharing that bed with me, Mr. Everlark,” she said, grinning smugly.

“Maybe you’re not sleeping in the bed with me,” Peeta said, crossing his arms with a smirk.

“Very gentlemanly of you,” Katniss snapped. The urge to roll her eyes was monumental. Silently telling herself this was all one step closer to Gale, closer to home, she channeled her aunt Effie. _Chins up, smiles on._

“‘Gentlemanly’? Welcome to the age of equality. You lot wanted the vote - live with it.” With two short steps he launched himself into the bed, crossing his arms behind his head as the springs slowed, groaning in pleasure as he stretched. “Comfy.”

Katniss scowled before plastering on a fake smile. “We’ll flip for it, _darling_.” Stalking over to her purse she pulled out a coin, turning back toward Peeta, annoyed at the mischief bouncing around his gaze.

Peeta rose quickly, closing the distance between them, talking a mile a minute, his arms crossed over his chest with his hands tucked into his armpits. “Okay. Fair’s fair. Heads I win, tails you lose.”

Nodding, Katniss flipped the coin, looking down at it, her face void of emotion. “Heads.” Dammit.

Peeta tisked, but couldn’t hide his grin. “Shame.” With a single massive hop he was back in the bed. “You can sleep in the tub,” he waved his hand flippantly toward the bathroom.

Unable to suppress the urge any longer, Katniss rolled her eyes, turning toward the little room, which was only divided from the bedroom by a shower curtain. Sliding it to the side, she turned back to him slowly, leveling him with a death glare and what Gale liked to call, 'the whopper jaw’. “It’s a walk-in shower.”

He rose to his elbows, peering into the little room thoughtfully. “You can sleep in the shower,” he said, flicking his wrist once more, dismissively before collapsing back onto the bed.

“Fine,” Katniss huffed. “Just so long as I don’t have to sleep anywhere near you.” She walked into the little room and slid the curtain shut with every ounce of force she had, imagining a door slam.

Xxx

Peeta was slipping off his shoes as he heard the water turn on, making him look up, seeing Katniss’ silhouette through the shower curtain.

He couldn’t look away, a grin slowly growing on his face. She began to sing, and he laid back in the bed, arms behind his head, smile on his face as he drifted off to the sound of her voice.

Xxx

“Wait a minute!” Katniss slid the curtain with more force than before, coming out with her hair in a towel and one wrapped around her body.

“You lying, deceiving, son of a…. Get up!” She grabbed Peeta’s leg, trying to shake him awake, but he didn’t move. She pulled on him, but he didn’t budge. “You sleep like the dead,” she muttered. “Get up!”

Peeta groaned, scrunching his face up. “Woah! What?”

“Heads you win, tails I lose.” She looked at him incredulously.

He grinned lazily, his eyes still heavy with sleep. “Oh, you finally got that, did you?” He slowly rolled out of the bed, Katniss trying again to push and pull him, but he was like a rock compared to her.

She had had enough of his shenanigans. “Liars forfeit. This bed is mine.” She took a step closer to him, her nose almost touching his chest. “And take a shower. You smell.”

He scowled at her. “Uh-uh. You can see right through the curtain.” The corner of his mouth dared to twitch.

Katniss scoffed. “Oh, can you?” If he was trying to be witty, she would beat him at his game. She waited for a comeback, but it never came.

Instead, Peeta smiled, an unnervingly smooth, easy grin. Impish even. She almost returned it, feeling a little…. _Somethin’_ , _somethin’_ \- as Haymitch used to say - but realization was a fast victor.

“Can you?” Katniss’ voice rose, shock and embarrassment coloring her tone, but the ache in the pit of her stomach, the tingling in the tips of her fingers, the color she felt rising to her cheeks betrayed her. Peeta was not her boyfriend. He wasn’t her anything other than an annoying travel companion. The thoughts- The feelings of anything else simply didn’t exist. They couldn’t. She wouldn’t let them.

Peeta ran to the shower, quietly calling, “Liars forfeit! Liars forfeit!” When he got to the bathroom he spun around dramatically, grabbing the shower curtain and speaking with mock intensity, “No peeking,” before sliding the curtain shut with a flourish.

Xxx

Katniss was dressed, tidying up her suitcase, when there was a knock at the door.

Answering it, she was greeted by the ever smiling face of Portia. “Everything alright?”

Katniss smiled and nodded, fearing that if she spoke, she might say something about her annoying roommate.

“Good, good. I just wanted to tell you that for dinner we are having crawfish.”

Katniss blinked a few times, the only sound the squeak of the faucet as Peeta turned off the water in the shower. “Crawfish.” She said, trying to sound pleased. “Did you hear that, darling?” She called over her shoulder to Peeta, biting out the word as she turned back to their hostess. “Crawfish.”

Katniss wasn’t a squeamish person, but the idea of eating something that still had it’s eyes just unnerved her.

“Right, crawfish….” Peeta called through the curtain, his voice smooth, but she caught the slight hitch, smirking.

Katniss could see his silhouette through the curtain, drying his hands on a towel. She wanted to be mad, realizing just how much he had probably seen of her, but she couldn’t find it in herself as she found herself staring. She could almost sense him grinning behind the curtain, smirking knowingly, relishing in her squirming at the mere thought of being seen virtually naked. She wanted to hate him, but the longer she stared, the more she…. _Didn’t_.

“I was thinking, Portia, why don’t you let me cook - to thank you for taking us in like this.” His voice bounced around the little shower stall, slightly muted by the curtain still spread across the opening- _He had heard her sing. Why that little bast-_

“Oh, no, honey, I couldn’t!” Portia said, Katniss catching a blush on her cheeks as she kept her eyes on spots around the shower entrance, not allowing herself to look at it.

“Oh, you could,” Katniss said a little too forcefully, her mind racing when Portia looked at her a little wide eyed. “He’s a chef. He’s very good,” she went on, softening her tone and smiling.

“It’s true!” Peeta called out.

“Well, then. Alright!” Portia actually looked relieved. “We have two other guests with us this evening, is that alright?”

“Not a problem,” Peeta said, the smile evident in his voice.

“Thanks again!” Portia called over her shoulder as she left.

Katniss closed the door behind her, slumping against it, her forehead against the cool wood. “Good call,” she sighed, turning back to Peeta.

He was bent over the sink that was part of the shower, brushing his teeth. The curtain was pushed to the side just enough that she could see one arm braced on the ceramic edge, his other flexing as he brushed. His hair was wet, water dripping down his temples. She caught a glimpse of a towel around his waist, but he leaned in such a way that only the top of his torso was visible, leaving Katniss’ mind to wander as she meandered over to her bag to grab…. Something. She scowled at the shower curtain, her mind refusing to recall the item she needed.

Turning abruptly, she walked back towards the door, stealing a glimpse over her shoulder at the thin piece of plastic separating them. Her scowl melted. It wasn’t really his fault that she forgot what she was getting, was it? Walking forward slowly, she stared over her shoulder at the water dripping from his curls, the flex of his arm as he brushed his teeth, the way his hand gripped the side of the si- Running into the wall beside the door with a soft thud brought her back to the task at hand - and she promptly left the room.

Xxx

Out in the garden, Katniss picked vegetables, studying a recipe book as she went.

Peeta looked up to see her staring very intently at the carrots she had just picked, a scowl forming on her face. “What the hell are you doing now?”

She looked at him as if it were obvious. “The recipe called for three medium carrots, and I just don’t think this is medium, I mean, these two, yes, but this one is on the larger side-”

Peeta took the carrot from her with a sigh. “Watch.” He snapped it in half, handing her back the top. “Three medium sized carrots.” He tossed the other half into the basket of other vegetables they were gathering.

Crouching beside her, he reached over and closed the recipe book in her lap. “Here’s an idea - Why don’t you stop trying to control everything in the known universe. It’s dinner. Have a little faith that it will all work out.”

“I’ve heard that one before,” Katniss mumbled, busying herself with wiping the dirt off her hands.

“Well, maybe you should have listened.” His sarcasm was starting to _really_ irk her.

She clapped her hands together, gripping them tightly, staring at them. “Really. You think so?” She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes, her words slow and calculated. “'It’ll all work out.’ My Uncle Haymitch - the stand in for my father who died, by the way, I don’t know if I told you that - was the king of ‘it’ll all work out.’” Peeta looked at her, his lips drawn into a thin line of impatience, but he waited while she continued.

“When my dad died in the mines, and Haymitch said it that first time, I believed him. When my mom had to go to assisted living in a completely different district because she was too withdrawn after Dad’s death and we all had to move to 2 with Haymitch and his wife, I still believed him. Sending my little sister off to a prep school instead of staying with us, and me finishing up high school with a decent GPA, I 'had a little faith’. Because things work out in the end, right?” She rose to her feet, staring down at him with as much ferocity as she could muster.

Peeta looked at the ground from his crouched position.

“Whatever the next big nothing was, all our money went right after it. But, uh, don’t worry, 'it’ll all work out’.” She took a pause, her measured tone rising slightly in pitch, the menacing whisper more intense. “Skip to me having to work my way through college to pay for both me and my sister, and help Haymitch get back on his feet, long hours at a ritzy, stuck up, high end bar that I couldn’t get into until I worked there, where I studied as I mixed margaritas and daiquiris for all my classmates who didn’t have to get a job, and having to help my Aunt Effie when Haymitch had to go to rehab on Christmas Eve, ho, ho, ho.” She inhaled sharply, taking a long needed breath.

Peeta looked up at her, smiling sadly.

“So you will forgive me,” her voice cracked slightly, her hands shook, and her last words faded into a broken whisper, “if I don’t listen.”

Peeta rose to stand, looking her in the eye, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t need your pity,” she mumbled, trying to walk past him, only to stop when he gently grabbed her forearm. She looked at the ground, then at his hand, trying to ignore the burning sensation it left on her skin through her sweater.

He waited until she looked him in the eyes. “No, really, I’m sorry. Your father is someone you should be able to rely on.”

Katniss couldn’t shake the feeling that this had happened before. She just couldn’t remember when. And something in his eyes told her he spoke from experience.

“Dinner,” she said quietly, looking away as he dropped his hand from her arm. She immediately missed its soft presence. As he walked away, she stared at the ground, admiring the blades of grass, trying to ignore the lingering tingle from his hand.

Returning to the book with an awkward clear of her throat, she named off all the vegetables they had, laughing lightly at the three medium carrots.

“You used to hunt, right?”

“Yeah,” Katniss said slowly, watching as Peeta approached her with a chicken from the nearby coup, a look of nausea taking over his unbearably snarky features as the bird sat calmly in his arms, unaware of it’s situation.

“So you know how to clean a bird?”

Xxx

“And where exactly did you think the chickens came from?” Katniss teased as she handed him the freshly plucked fowl.

Peeta blushed as he stared at the cutting board, shooting her a bashful grin. “The butcher’s,” he answered quietly.

They passed the next few hours prepping and cooking the food.

Between laughter and mindless banter, Peeta taught Katniss a thing or two about cooking, showing her how to slice the mushrooms as he stood next to her, their arms brushing, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end.

When he stood behind her, teaching her how to quickly chop onions, that was the farthest thing from her mind. The way he held her hand in his, going through the motions gave her goosebumps, his warm breath on her neck as he spoke softly in her ear sent a tingle down to her fingertips, his warm chest pressed against her back made- She covered an involuntary sound in the back of her throat with a cough.

“Something wrong?” She could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

“Ah, just the onions. A little pungent. I think I will go set the table.” Wiggling her way out from his grasp, she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding as she passed into the dining room.

Examining the various platters and dishes around - tucked away in China cabinets, resting on the piano, hanging on the walls - her mind kicked into gear, just like staging apartments. As she examined a platter on top of the piano, she saw a head full of dark curls, dark skin, and bright hazel eyes staring at her around the doorway.

The eyes went wide when she met them, and the face disappeared all together. Katniss smiled, walking to the doorway, peeking around it herself.

There stood a little girl who looked to be Prim’s age. “And who might you be?” Katniss asked softly, smiling warmly.

“Rue,” the girl said quietly, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth as she dug her toe into the carpet shyly.

“Well, Rue, I’m Katniss.” She held out her hand to the little girl, surprised at the tight grip she received, chuckling a little at the giggle the girl gave. “I’m setting the table. Think you might want to help me?”

The little girl nodded readily, her eyes twinkling as her curls bobbed. She reminded Katniss of Prim so much it almost hurt, but it also made her feel at home.

After everything was set out, Katniss asked her to go pick some flowers for the table. Shortly after the girl came running back in, dirt caked on her shoes, knees and hands, carrying a bouquet of daisies and wearing the largest grin Katniss was sure she had ever seen.

“Rue!” Portia came bustling around the corner, her eyes wide. “You’re filthy!”

“I’m sorry, Momma. I was just picking some flowers for Katniss!” Rue said determinedly.

Portia turned to the table with a gasp as Rue ran to Katniss, handing her the flowers, surprising her with a hug.

As Katniss put the flowers in the vase in the middle of the table, Rue smiled proudly, and Portia rested a hand on her shoulder with tears in her eyes. “Oh. It’s just beautiful, Katniss! Thank you!”

Cinna walked in, whistling when he saw the set up, making Katniss smile. He was a lot like Haymitch. Noticing the dirt on his daughter, he tisked at her and ushered her into the hallway to get cleaned up, Portia following close behind with one last quiet “thank you.”

Peeta walked out of the kitchen, plate loaded with the cooked chicken, and a smile slowly working its way up his face as he took in the table. “So this is staging, huh?”

“Kinda.”

“You get paid for this?”

“Yep.”

“I can see why,” Peeta said, and despite his seemingly default snarky grin, his voice carried nothing but sincerity.

Xxx

The dinner table was full, Cinna and Portia at the opposite heads, Rue between her mother and Peeta, and the couple from District 4 across from them, all squished tight at the table meant for four.

Katniss looked over at Rue, scrunching up her nose as she smiled at the bashful girl, earning a giggle. She was so much like Prim before they had to move to District 2. She pushed away the lonesome thoughts at the sound of laughter around her.

“Well, that was fantastic,” the man across from her said. Katniss couldn’t help but blush. He was practically Beauty on two legs. Finnick, as he had introduced himself, turned to his wife Annie, who was also strikingly beautiful, and they smiled in agreement. “Especially that chicken.”

“I know! And I’m usually no good at making chicken. Gale always complains that it’s too dry-” Katniss stopped short, about to backpedal when a small voice stopped her.

“Gale?” Annie interrupted, her eyebrows knit together in confusion.

“Oh.” The silence in the room was deafening. It made her ears hurt. It made her cheeks burn. It made her contemplate asking Peeta for help, but the thought of his satisfied smirk dampened that thought. Katniss wanted to slink down into her seat, slide under the table and crawl away. “Gale.” She faltered on his name and slumped back in her chair, gesturing slightly to Peeta, whom she noticed was suddenly solemn. “Our…. He is our….” She looked to him in desperation, realizing she would need him to get out of this. Curse her awkwardness with words. Her eyes pleaded with Peeta, openly admitting defeat.

“Our next door neighbor,” he offered with a soft smile.

“Right,” Katniss breathed, the weight of the eyes around her lightening just a bit. “He sometimes comes over for dinner.”

She squeezed Peeta’s hand under the table as the rest of the group nodded in acceptance, a breath of relief escaping her quietly. Cinna rose and disappeared into the other room.

Peeta squeezed her hand in return, before forging on, and making her blood boil. “He’s an old, lonely man. Poor guy, lost his love long ago. But now,” he turned to Katniss, ignoring her glowering stare, “he has a little thing for my Katniss.”

“I don’t blame him,” Finnick said, earning him tisks from Portia, and laughter from the rest.

Pointing at the bottle of whiskey Cinna had returned with, Peeta smiled. “That one’s a popular one back home at my pub. It’s one of my favorites, as well. A real antique!”

Katniss couldn’t help but smile. Peeta liked whiskey. _A man after Haymitch’s own heart._

“Just like me,” Cinna said cheekily, laughing as he clapped Peeta on the back before filling his glass. “It was actually a wedding present.”

“It was only 30 years ago, you silly old man!” Portia cried in mock anger, reaching up and grabbing Cinna by the cheeks after he poured her drink, pulling him down for a quick kiss, turning to Rue with a laugh at the face of disgust she wore.

Everyone clinked glasses, sharing a laugh.

“That’s what it takes to be married so long.” Everyone turned to Finnick. “The kiss,” he said as if it were obvious. “Always kiss like it’s the first time and the last time.” He turned to Annie, who smiled bashfully before leaning in for a quick peck. Then another. And another. Soon they were so wrapped in each other, their mouths opening into wide canyons over the other’s in synch, lost to the world.

Katniss stared at them wide eyed, their unabashed PDA reminding her of that poor burger Peeta had ordered at a stop early on in their trip. It had never stood a chance. They looked like they were devouring one another. A quick glance at Peeta showed he must be on the same thought trail as her, but he quickly looked down at his plate, absently tracing her knuckles with his thumb. It was a sweet gesture, sure to sell their story, but Katniss stared at their intertwined hands, eyebrows knit in confusion.

Awkward coughs and glances were shared around the table as Finnick and Annie continued to… kiss. Cinna downed the rest of his glass while Portia covered Rue’s eyes.

Katniss studied her plate, her cheeks flaming when Rue’s little voice squeaked, “Can I look _now_ , Momma?”

Laughter filled the room as Finnick and Annie broke apart, their hands staying knit together between them.

“Well, come on, Peeta!”

Both Katniss and Peeta turned to Cinna, trying to appear merry like the rest, but something made Katniss’ stomach knot.

“Show us old married ones how it’s done! Remind us what young love is like.”

Peeta’s eyes were comically wide when Katniss turned to him, her jaw opening and closing in silence.

“I’m sorry?” Peeta managed, smiling tightly.

“Well, I have kissed my wife, Finnick most certainly kissed his wife….” A chuckle went around the table.

“Oh, no, we’re fine. We did it earlier,” Katniss said. “Kissed. We kissed earlier,” she quickly added. Well. As if this night couldn’t get any more awkward. First the burger kiss, and now…. This.

“That’s all,” Peeta added with a nod, coughing nervously. “Kiss. A kiss.”

“Oh, stop being so polite!” Cinna smiled.

With a good natured roll of his eyes, Peeta leaned over and kissed Katniss on the cheek.

“That was exactly what the doctor ordered,” Katniss complimented sweetly, smirking at Peeta’s small glare as he put his arm around her shoulders.

“If that’s it, I’m surprised you guys even got married!” Rue piped up, the rest of the table falling silent, all eyes landing on to the little girl. “Kiss her like they do in the movies!”

“They’re shy,” Finnick said gently to Rue, who ducked her head with a blush.

“You’re among friends,” Cinna gestured to the table. “Young, married, in love - anyone can see that.”

Katniss turned to find Peeta already looking at her, rubbing his thumb back and forth gently on her shoulder.

“Well, we are madly in love, remember?” he murmured, smiling at the sighs from Portia and Annie.

Without giving her time to respond he gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. It was a chaste, lingering touch, and he pulled away after what was only seconds, but felt like an eternity.

A much too short eternity.

When he pulled away, his hands remained on her face, their eyes meeting in a silent conversation. It was almost as if he were asking permission. She studied his lips, so soft and they tasted like the whiskey. His eyes darted down to hers briefly before returning to her eyes, something different in their sparkle. Maybe he had been trying to say he was sorry. He went to remove his hands, but her own rose to cup over his, holding him captive. A silent approval. As their eyes met again, she saw that spark, that glimmer of hope he always seemed to carry, ignite once again. It was something she loved about him. Her stomach rolled with something akin to fire at the thought.

 _She was starting to_ like _Peeta Mellark_.

Before she had time to process the thought, they met each other in the middle, like magnets grasping one another. The kisses were slow, and intimate, the rest of the world fading away as they sank further down, deeper into the passion of the moment. Gone was the need to sell the show, the necessity to share a kiss.

Both of their eyes fluttered open long enough to meet before they dove back in, with their eyes closed, her hands winding their way up his arms and into his hair, tugging slightly on the nape of his neck, his hands moving down to her neck, cradling her head.

They pulled apart suddenly, quietly gasping for air, staring at each other as the world came back into view, the act of breathing a foreign thing.

The heat was undeniable, the urge to pull one another closer unmistakable. The realization of their deed unthinkable.

Cheers erupted around the table, but it was all muffled to Katniss. She had kissed a man who she claimed to hate, was not her boyfriend, was not…. Gale.

But what was even worse was those few kisses, born out of necessity, carried more than any kiss born of passion with Gale ever had.

She downed the rest of her drink as Peeta stared at his plate, smiling at Finnick’s cheers.

Xxx

Back in their room, after they had said their ‘good nights,’ Katniss was about to turn out the light when the shower curtain slid open, causing her to jump and clamber to get under the covers to hide her small nightgown. It was, after all, all she had packed, expecting to be in 12 with Gale tonight, not with a stranger she was pretending to be married to just so they had somewhere to sleep. Her head hurt as she thought about it.

Peeta clutched his pillow to his chest. “It’s still wet in here.” Katniss looked at him indifferently, snuggling into the bed, pulling the comforter higher. It was a very revealing nightgown. Why did she even own the thing?

Clasping his hands together, knitting his fingers like a child for a bedtime prayer, his eyes sparkled slightly. “Show a little mercy?” A beat passed before he plastered on an obnoxiously large, pleading grin.

Okay, sharing lips with someone is one thing. But a bed? Nu-uh. No. This was not…. But that grin was so damn cute. And stupid. No. Katniss tried to scowl at him, hoping to scare him away, but it quickly turned into a smile like it so often did around Peeta. Damn his snark. “Okay. But if you drop one drop of drool, you’re back in the shower.” ‘ _Drop one drop of drool_ ’? she thought, cringing to herself. She was never good with words. Neither was Gale, to be honest. Their texts were often just one letter words or smiley faces. Words were Peeta’s thing. She scowled as the thought crossed her mind.

“Deal.” Peeta said, pulling her from her thoughts. He crossed the room quickly as she slid over, hopping into the bed like before, the springs bouncing in protest.

Somehow he had grabbed the comforter as he jumped and was tucked in upon landing.

As he wiggled to get comfortable, Katniss stared at the ceiling. This was all just…. How? How does one get into these kind of situations? “Who knew it would take two days to get to 12?” _Crap. She said that part out loud_.

“And it’s gonna cost you an extra fifty dollars.” He settled in with a smirk. That smirk. The damn smirkiest smirk to ever smirk…. She was making no sense. She was literally so mad at his facial features, she nearly saw red.

So she turned to face his _smirk_ with a scoff. “Fine. The money obviously means a lot to you, so….. Fine!” She turned on her side away from him, analyzing her argument in her head, her eyebrows raised at the absurdity. She sounded like a child. “Good night.” Why did she say that?

After a pregnant pause, he huffed his own ‘good night,’ turning out the light on the nightstand beside him, effectively facing away from her, pulling the sheets extra tight.

Studying the wall, Katniss rolled to her back on instinct, settling in and once more analyzing the ceiling.

Peeta fought with his pillow, trying to settle, but ended up on his back as well, making sure to stare at the far corner.

Katniss slowly turned her head to face Peeta, replaying the whole trip in her head, remembering all the crazy stuff that got them here.

His head turned at the same time, and they met one another’s gaze. After a charged moment Peeta was back on his side, and Katniss turned her face to the window beside the bed, wanting to hate the little breeze that floated into the room because of Peeta’s insistence that the window be open while he slept, but the sounds from the garden were calming.

She was reminded of happier days when things were less confusing. Boys had cooties, Prim was waddling as she toddled, and her father sang her to sleep, the sounds of the night stopping for her to listen. Closing her eyes, she smiled with a sigh, letting her mind take her back to 12, back in time, back to simpler days. Sleep came soon, and tonight, it brought only good dreams.

Xxx

Peeta woke first, to the sound of the birds outside the window.

Slowly he realized he was spooning Katniss, his hand resting gently on her arm, the mattress seeming to plot against them, gradually rolling them closer throughout the night.

He hesitated, admiring her smooth skin, the soft wave of her hair, the slight rise and fall of her shoulders with every breath. He buried his face in his hand, dragging it down slowly, wiping the thoughts away. She was about to be engaged. To a jerk, yes, but that wasn’t his fault. She just looked so peaceful, and her hair smelled like vanilla….

It took every fiber of his being to pull away. Lifting one finger at a time, then his whole hand. She had remarked about his heavy footfalls, so he was trying to be as sneaky as possible, pausing to make sure she was still asleep.

He slowly eased his way out of the bed, smiling triumphantly until a spring squeaked, making him freeze with a wince. Glancing over his shoulder, she still slept soundly, so he rose to his feet, groaning quietly as the springs bounced as if they were buoyant. Smiling slightly when she didn’t stir, he made his way out of the room. He had a plan.

Xxx

Katniss woke to the light jostling of the bed, the faint warmth behind her fading fast. If she hadn’t opened her eyes to the open window, she might have said something, like ‘good morning’, or…. Something. But the realization at the sight of an open window to an unfamiliar garden…. It wasn’t Gale. It was the person pretending to be her husband. The person she had kissed. The person she had shared a bed with.

The person she should be annoyed with but had admitted to herself to have fee- Not hating.

She felt a sinking in her gut, realizing how deeply this would hurt Gale.

She had to get to him, get out of this situation, get away from Peeta. Before she lost the nerve to say no to that…. _Smirk_.

Xxx

“So you’re stuck in 11?” Gale’s voice crackled over the phone, excitement bubbling through.

Katniss smiled as she stared at the floor. “Yup. You would not believe what all I have been through.”

“Worse than that camping trip back when we were kids?”

“Times ten,” Katniss chuckled. Memories of their fathers drinking beer around the fire, songs being sung, and laughter ringing through the trees invaded her mind. It was a great trip until they woke up in the middle of the night to a thunder clap, looking outside the tent to see all their supplies floating past the tent in the downpour.

Her childhood in 12 really had been wonderful. After moving to 2 with Haymitch, and complaining to Gale in letters for years, she finally told him about her stalker after one particularly grueling night of work at the bar. At 20 years old, Gale packed his things and was on the next train bound for 2. Gale had more than proved himself when he moved to District 2 to get a better job and help pay the bills, put food on the table, and act as brooding bouncer-bartender alongside her. As they fell back into their old rhythms, they realized they were more than friends.

She heard Peeta’s heavy footsteps approaching her from down the hall, causing a blanket of guilt to cover her.

“I can’t wait to see you,” Katniss squeaked out, the footsteps coming to a halt.

“I can’t wait to see you, either.” The footsteps retreated, quietly, sounding defeated, literally dragging his heels.

“Look, Catnip, I gotta go,” Gale was saying. “I love you.”

“You, too,” Katniss hesitated. “Bye.”

As she hung up the phone, she tried to convince herself she hadn’t said _those words_  
back to him because of this whole charade. For all she knew, Rue was right around the corner.

She stared at the phone, telling herself over and over that was the reason.

Even as she followed the path the retreating footsteps had taken, seeking their stepper, she tried to convince herself.

Xxx

Peeta walked down the hall, tray full of breakfast he had made specially for her, slowing at the sound of her voice.

He guessed she must be on the phone with Gale. He smirked. She may be in love with tall dark and handsome, but she had never met Peeta’s waffles. They were known to be life changing.

“I can’t wait to see you,” he heard her say. Something in her voice made him stop. What was he doing?

He stared down at the tray, everything looking a little less bright before turning back to the kitchen, placing the tray on the table.

Grabbing an orange from a basket and working at the peel over the sink, he jumped when her voice suddenly behind him startled him.

“Is that mine?” she pointed at the tray.

Looking over his shoulder briefly, he nodded dismissively, his mouth drawn in a tight smile, quickly fading into a snarl as he tore at the orange with renewed vigor.

Cinna came shuffling in, clad in a robe and house shoes. “Morning! Hope you two slept well,” he spoke to both of them, winking at Peeta behind Katniss’ back. Peeta studied his orange with renewed interest. Cinna must have taken it for embarrassment because he chuckled as he poured his coffee.

Katniss ate a last bite of pear before turning to him. “Cinna!”

“Katniss!” They shared a laugh.

“I need to get to 12 today-”

“And why is that, honey?” Peeta turned and leaned against the counter, plastering on a smile as she glowered at him.

“Right. Um, this is embarrassing, but I…. Have to go to a toasting.” That wasn’t a lie.

“Oh, so you’re doing it right,” Cinna mused with a nod. “You’re not really married without a toasting!”

“Couldn’t agree more,” she said to no one in particular. “So, about that train-”

“It’s Sunday.” His eyes twinkled above the rim of his coffee cup as he blew on it.

Katniss scowled at this obscure statement. “Yes. It is. So-”

“It’s bad luck to travel on a Sunday.” He sipped the coffee.

Katniss took several deep, calming breaths. “Well, I don’t believe in all that silly-”

“Well, what about train tables?” She raised an eyebrow at Cinna as he smiled. “Sunday. No trains.”

She swiveled slowly over to Peeta who simply grinned at her, twisting off a fresh layer of peel.

Xxx

A short while later, after hashing out further payment to Peeta with terse words in the garden, they said their goodbyes, giving Cinna, Portia, and Rue goodbye hugs, and thanking them profusely, before they got in Peeta’s car and headed toward District 12.

They were only a few miles out when Peeta got a flat tire…and ran out of gas.

Katniss began walking to find the nearest station, only to have Peeta clear his throat, stopping her in her tracks. Without facing him, she looked up at the sky as she slouched her shoulders with a huff. “What?”

When he didn’t respond, she whopper jawed him again over her shoulder, taking her time to level him with her best death glare.

He began to smile a genuine, sweet smile, one she even might consider adoration, but it quickly melted into that _smirk_ and he gestured over his shoulder with a nod. “It’s that way.”

Swiveling on her heel, Katniss brushed past him, leading the way, mumbling incoherent words to herself at his soft chuckle at her back.

Peeta sipped from his water bottle behind her, making her grimace as he crinkled the bottle. She always hated that sound.

A sudden spritz of water on her neck made her steps falter, but she kept walking, only sparing a glance over her shoulder to find Peeta looking innocent. “Stop,” she said with finality, turning back to face forward, her steps evening once again.

“What?” He said to the back of her head as they kept walking.

Another spritz and she stopped, turning to face him. “Seriously. Cut it out.” She looked straight ahead, his chest inches from her nose, his shirt brushing the tip when he huffed in aggravation.

“I didn’t-” a drop of rain on his cheek cut him off. Wiping it away, and staring at his hand before a cloudburst drenched them, he looked down at her and pointed to the sky with a large sarcastic grin. “It’s raining.”

Something in the smell of rain turned Katniss into a child. As they ran for cover, they stumbled on a path up a hill. Katniss was laughing, stepping in every mud puddle to try and stain Peeta’s perfect white t-shirt. And she succeeded. She found herself squealing, something she hadn’t done since she was a girl, as Peeta chased her with a rough laugh, promising revenge.

They burst through the doors of the building at the top of the hill. Katniss spun around laughing, gasping for breath, barely flinching when her wet braid smacked her in the face, going still as she spotted the wedding in progress before Peeta did. He was behind her with his back to the room, staring out the still open door at the downpour.

“Jesus Christ!” He turned to face the room that was staring back at him, rubbing his hands on his jeans as he noticed their audience, and brushing his hands through his hair that was plastered to his forehead, his jaw open dumbly.

“Is Lord,” Katniss quickly added.

“So do you have any reason these two should not be wed?” the officiant asked, unperturbed, even slightly amused.

“No,” Peeta said absently, “Nope. They look perfectly in love to me, and as the song says, love is all you need.”

The crowd chuckled, including the bride and groom. Katniss looked around, marveling at the calm atmosphere, and the simple decorations. She had not been in something this laid back in years. Effie would have a fit. The thought made Katniss love it even more.

“Well then, have a seat,” the officiant said with a smile, gesturing to some seats in the back.

Smiling gratefully as all eyes turned back to the ceremony, they made their way to the seats. Katniss bit her lip to keep from laughing at the sight of a drenched Peeta beside her and her own reflection she caught in a window.

Peeta jiggled his leg anxiously as he watched the ceremony, Katniss scowling at him questioningly.

He caught her gaze, doing a double take before stopping with a sigh. “Sorry. Old churches like this give me the creeps. I’ve only really ever been to funerals in them. Between 12 and 4, weddings are usually outside or in a home.”

_The smell of rain, her wet clothes sticking to her, hot tears of anger mingling with the cold rain running down her cheeks as she watched her father’s casket lowered into the ground. Looking up in search of the tree line not far away, a pair of blue eyes distracted her, before they darted back down to stare at the ground._

_Peeta._

_The baker’s son._

_The boy with the bread._

She stared at Peeta, shaking her head gently as he looked at her curiously before facing the ceremony once again.

_How do you forget the face of the person who was your last hope?_


End file.
